Maritime Traffic Plummets in Bab el-Mandeb Strait Amid Yemen Tensions
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, data released by the maritime analytics firm Kpler, as reported by Al Jazeera and Mehr News Agency, indicates a sharp decline in vessel transits through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with only 12 ships recorded in the last 24-hour period.
This reduction follows a declaration by Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement last Monday, imposing a sailing ban targeting Saudi Arabia. In a message conveyed to shipping companies, Ansar Allah threatened to attack any vessel involved in the loading or unloading of Saudi oil, potentially escalating the conflict into a new front.
Concurrently, Reuters reported based on maritime data that traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has averaged three vessels per day over the past three days.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly emphasized the establishment of safe shipping corridors within the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that the use of alternative routes constitutes a violation. Iran maintains it will not permit any obstruction to its control over the Strait of Hormuz. Furthermore, Iran claims that U.S. transgressions against the nation have contributed to regional insecurity and disrupted maritime movement in the Strait of Hormuz.
